Communication Will NEVER go out of style

Source: Sebastien Wiertz, via Flickr
Source: Sebastien Wiertz, via Flickr

What do you have to say? Do you know how to say it? If not, your message will definitely come back to bite you in the fanny. We’re seeing it every day in the news, aren’t we? People say foolish comments and try to take them back (i.e. delete their tweets and Facebook posts). But it’s too late, the damage has been done. What’s even sadder is it’s something that could be prevented in the first place! Continue reading “Communication Will NEVER go out of style”

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Why You Need to Develop Your Own Voice as a Writer

Unique in his own right: The late great Louis Armstrong
Unique in his own right: The late great Louis Armstrong

Real talk – the freelance business has boomed in recent years and continues to grow at very high rates. For very good reason too; people are becoming tired of the challenges that come with working for someone and desire to be their own boss. So there is clearly a shift in the economy and the workforce which should alert anyone who calls themselves a freelance writer. Continue reading “Why You Need to Develop Your Own Voice as a Writer”

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The Joys of Networking|5 Powerful Ways to Boost Your Freelance Business

Source: Pixabay photos
Source: Pixabay photos

Are you trying to expand your writing business or get noticed? What steps are you taking beyond sitting behind the laptop? Yes, social media has its advantages but getting out there and getting involved definitely has it’s benefits.

Sometimes, it takes going back to the basics. Yes, we’ve read endless blogs on how to make connections for your business via Twitter and Facebook and this and that. All of that is good and true. I can personally attest to how Twitter alone has boosted my business, but in my opinion real groundwork still has to be laid before reaping the benefits of social media. Here are some ways your writing business can grow:

Small business meetings: These types of groups are all over the place. Every city, town and neighborhood has some sort of meeting group for small business owners, where a set schedule, they meet and share advice and pitch ideas to each other. It’s very beneficial and quite important for anyone starting out particularly in the world of freelancing. As you can see on my page, I am a part of Femworking which consists of women business owners who are looking to thrive in their talent. It supplies endless resources from folks who are more than willing to share what they know.

Running your mouth on the phone: I got one of my first decent paying clients by chatting with a former co-worker one evening. We were catching up and I was telling them of my latest venture as a writer so if they knew anyone who needed service, send them my way. I didn’t even take myself seriously when I said it. A few days later, I get a phone call from someone who was referred to me by that co-worker. I was elated and was able to formulate a great deal for myself and the client. Everything is not done via the laptop. Getting out there, chatting and communicating with those right underneath your nose just might lead to your breakthrough in writing. Let those close to you know what you’re up to.

Word of mouth: With the example provided above, I can’t help but emphasize even further. One thing that folks are good at is talking. Now is a good time to put gossipers to use! Once your service is out, it’s bound to spread. That’s definitely what happened to me. Word soon spread about my services and what I was offering. It was especially attractive because the prices were fair and reasonable.

Mixers: Another form of face-to-face networking. I’m pretty sure they hold networking meetings in your town as well. It doesn’t have to be a specific freelance or business network. It could be on the topic you blog or write about. I recently attended a mixer on public health. I stood out in the best way because I was the only one walking around the room with the title “blogger” underneath my name on the name tag. This got people’s interests immediately and I made great connection that way. It wasn’t a freelancing event, it had to do with an area that I was familiar with and figured I could someway tie it into writing since I cover health and wellness topics. Whatever your niche or passion may be, find a social event or forum being held in your area and attend, representing your website or business. Nothing but good can come out of it.

Explore your neighborhood: Check out the small businesses in your area and find out if they need a way to communicate with their customers on a regular basis. If so, don’t hesitate to tell them what you can do. You’ll have to convince them that they need you – which they do because every business needs to keep their customers engaged. Stop by, give them a business card (and/or resume) and let them know you can write for them. You can also visit the local newspaper offices, libraries and community magazines. All of those outlets involve writing services. If you get rejected, that’s okay since it’s all part of the process. Keep getting out there and engaging until you land some potential clients.

What steps have you taken so far? 

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Chronicles of a Freelance Newbie: Being Yourself Pays Off

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So early last week I was on my way to the train station to start my commute home. I was in usual fashion, bag in tow and headphones tucked comfortably into my ears when all of a sudden someone grabs my arm.  I looked and noticed a young lady I met a few weeks ago. Obviously she noticed me first and was so excited to see me. “Do you remember me?” she asked. There was a community service meeting we met at and I pitched my blogs and vision to everyone there. Afterwards, I pretty much went about my business, so it was quite surprising to see her in the middle of the city this particular day. She asked me for my contact information which I was more than happy to provide for her. “Wow”, I thought to myself. I was actually starting to get noticed in the street based on my blogging! For someone who’s still in the early stages of their freelance journey, this was pretty exciting.

Maintaining blogs, networking and researching take up a lot of time. Sometimes I don’t get to update the blogs as much as I would like to, but I constantly keep things in perspective because the purpose of New3Creation is being established. There are definitely goals set in place because right now, everything is not where I would like them to be – but that’s okay. In the meantime, I’ve learned not to rush or present myself as something that I’m not. When I introduce myself to someone I come across in the blogosphere, what they see is what they get; I don’t present crazy services that I have no experience in just to get their attention, and I don’t boast anything else that is unrealistic for me (or them). It’s hard at times because I see other established freelance writers who’ve been in the game for a while and offer fantastic services to their clients and have expanded their business at impressive lengths.

It makes it kind of intimidating.

There’s that “in the meantime” moment where you have to continue working towards the next level of success. It hasn’t been a year yet, but I think I’ve made some pretty decent achievements since investing more time towards my writing:

Contributor positions – I’ve received a few offers and accepted them. Is there pay involved? Not at the moment, but I get more exposure which leads me to more potential clients, so  the pay does come eventually. Plus, I get to sharpen my writing skills and gain practice being on different platforms to different audiences.

Guest blogger – I didn’t realize how gracious folks were in this area. Not only are they willing to let you post on their page – exposing you to their own audience, but they’re also willing to offer great advice on your own growth and bring up ideas of possible collaborations. All of this has been beneficial to me as a writer. Be sure to check back here soon for upcoming guest posts of my own and other up and coming writers!

Paying gigs – I have to say that real money finally started coming in (now it just needs to be consistent!) and I have to give credit where credit is due. Not social media, twitter, facebook…no; it came from good old-fashioned mouth-to-mouth networking! It really caught me off guard because I’ve been grinding on social media trying to get new clients. Low and behold a friend of mine referred someone to me for service. So never forget the more traditional way of communicating, which is meeting and talking with folks, chatting with friends and spreading the word among family. You’ll be surprised at what doors will open by taking this route!

Hopefully this helps provide some type of encouragement to those who are still looking to make their first break. I’ve provided another take on the freelance journey over at Hub Pages were I get more specific on starting out in freelance writing – click here. And don’t forget, I’m also blogging on health and wellness. Check out New3Creation Wellness and let me know what you think.

Last but not least, if you’re looking for writing services at reasonable rates, give me a holler!

 

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